“And I said: ‘If all things are
subject to Genesis, and you are fully convinced that this is the case,
your thoughts and advice are contrary to your own opinion.11981198 Lit.,
“thinking you counsel what is contrary to yourself.” For if it is impossible even to
think in opposition to Genesis, why do you toil in vain, advising me to
do what cannot be done? Yea, moreover, even if Genesis subsists,
do not make haste to prevail on me not to worship Him who is also Lord
of the stars, by whose wish that a thing should not take place, that
thing becomes an impossibility. For always that which is subject
must obey that which rules. As far, however, as the worship of
the common gods is concerned, that is superfluous, if Genesis has
sway. For neither does anything happen contrary to what seems
good to fate, nor are they themselves able to do anything, since they
are subject to their own universal Genesis. If Genesis exists,
there is this objection to it, that that which is not first has the
rule; or, in other words, the uncreated cannot be subject, for
the uncreated, as being uncreated, has nothing that is older than
itself.’11991199 The argument here is
obscure. Probably what is intended is as follows: Genesis
means origination, coming into being. Origination cannot be the
ruling power, for there must be something unoriginated which has given
rise to the origination. The origination, therefore, as not being
first, cannot have sway, and it must itself be subject to that which is
unoriginated.

1199 The argument here is
obscure. Probably what is intended is as follows: Genesis
means origination, coming into being. Origination cannot be the
ruling power, for there must be something unoriginated which has given
rise to the origination. The origination, therefore, as not being
first, cannot have sway, and it must itself be subject to that which is
unoriginated.